And the Oscar Didn’t Go to ‘Bashir’
The Israeli film “Waltz With Bashir” — Ari Folman’s animated documentary about the 1982 Lebanon War — was favored to win the Oscar for best foreign language film. But it was beat out for the award Sunday by the Japanese contender “Departures,” about an unemployed classical musician who takes a job in a mortuary.
And so Israel’s Oscar scorecard remains: 8 nominations over 44 years, 0 wins.
In other Oscar news, the reported email campaign against awarding Kate Winslet the best leading actress Oscar for her role in the Holocaust film “The Reader” apparently didn’t work.
In Slate, the critic Ron Rosenbaum recently called “The Reader” a film “that asks us to empathize with an unrepentant mass murderer” and deemed it the “Worst Holocaust Film Ever Made.”
But Winslet beat out Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Angelina Jolie, and Melissa Leo in the category for her portrayal of an illiterate Nazi war criminal, responsible for the deaths of 300 women.
I’m personally matching all gifts to the Forward, up to $36,000. Can I match your gift now?
Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.
I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.
The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.
— Joel Brown, Forward board chair
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
